Respiratory apparatus.



B. E. ZERKLE. RESPIRATORY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1908.

999,979. Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

117114255252 W/KM UNITED STATES EDWIN E. ZERKLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RESPIRATORY APPARATUS.

no. eoejeve.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

. application filed January 21, 1908. Serial No. 411,975.

To allwhom it may concem:

Be it known that I, EDWIN E. ZERKLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Respiratory Apparat-us, of which the following is a specification.

In treating tuberculosis and kindred diseases of the respiratory tract, it has been demonstrated that the most effective method of alleviation or cure is fresh ,air treatment.

It is the object of my invention to-con-, Struct a respiratory apparatus which will conduct the fresh air from without to a person within, the admitted air being not only filtered andpurified but also reduced to the proper temperature through the instrumentality of an air supply chamber hereinafter referred to. This apparatus is especiall adapted for use in hospitals as-well as dwel ings, and is calculated to produce beneficial results to invalids and sick persons, as well as thoseunerely threatened with disease.

The invention consists inthe features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of'n'iy improved respiratory apparatus in use; Fig. 2 a vertical sectional. elevation of said apparatus; and Fig.'-3 a transverse section" taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow.

My improved respiratory apparatus comprises an inlet air supply pipe 4; having a part of its free end 5 provided with a num-- ber of perforations 6, over which a suitable screening ,7, having preferably a very fine mesh, is spreadl This air sup ly pipe or passage, when in use, is adapted to have its free outer end projected into the 0 on air in any suitable manner, and itwill e seen that the construction is such as to filter, in a meas re, all air passing ina'nd through the inlet airsupply pipeor passage aforesaid.

When this inlet pipe 1s projected through a window opening, as indicated in 'Fig. 1, it is desirab e to make the opening about the window casing air tight, and the inlet pipe is accordingly mounted between upper and. lower ti'ansverse supports 8 and 9, respectively, ositioned within the window casing,

forming, in effect, an air tight wall, the upper tra sverse section 8 contacting, on its upper I ide, the raised window l0. Upon the inner end 11 of this inlet air supply pipe is secured an air conveying tube 12,. which may be made of rubber or other suitable material, having its other end retained about a nipple 13 communicating with an air supply chamber 14, usually of spherical formation.. Another air filter 15 is placed within the nipple 13 aforesaid, as indicated 1 Fig. -2, in order to subject the flowing air. to-a second filtration priorto being admitted to the air supply chamber. The filter 15 is of somewhat finer mesh than that on the outer supply pipe aforesaid. This spherical air supply chamberl can be madeof copper or other material papable of being readily influenced by the extraneous atmospheric placed. The reason for this is that the temperature of the admitted flowing air will be modified from timeto time, thus eliminating, in a measure, any undue chill contained therein. This air supply chamber can be retained in place by a bracket 16, or in any suitable manner, as indicated in Fig. 1. Au outlet port or passage 1'? is formed, as shown, at the bottom of the spherical air supply chamber, and has a. membrane or any other suitable form of valve 18.

A. depending nipple 21 is adapted toreceive thereon a flexible air supply -tube 22 which terminates, at its other end, in a ri id face mask 23. This mask is especially .esigned to be placed upon the face of a person, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and is concave in cross section, being provided with suitable cushioning means 24, which may consist of pneumatic rubber cushions, felt, or othermaterial. It is essential, however, that the face mask fit snugly, and experience has shown that a pneumatic rubber cushion gives the best results. Formed on the top of this face mask is an ordinary disk valve 25, which ermits the exhaled air to escape therefrom. tra s or bands 26, as usual, are secured to the ace mask for the purpose of enabling the same to be fastened thereto. -This method of communication between the air supply chamber and the face mask does use of this form of apparatus, in that it perroom or bed asthe flexible air'supply tube adjusts itself to any position within its radii. The smallness of the face mask is necessary in order to do away with all air not actually used by the patient.

In use, the apparatus as a whole having conditions in the room within which it ismits the patient to freely move about in hisaway with the inconvenience incident to the been positioned, the mask is fastened about the persons face, and the same being air tight, as before stated, a suction will be produced, by the breathing action of the person, in the am supply pipe'22, which in turn influences the action of the flap valve aforesaid, permitting fresh air to be drawnfrom. the air supply chamber down through said' tube to the mask, where it is inhaled ,and when exhaled is permitted to escape through thedisk valve 25 aforesaid. j

From the foregoing it will'be apparent that my improved devlce does away wlth the objection found to fresh air treatments now in use, in that the injurious effects produced from excessive chill in the air in cold weather is modified and eliminated in a large measure and the fresh air, as conducted to the user, produces the same beneficial results as if the person inhaling the same were out of-doors. In fact, my respiratory apparatus is a marked improvement over those now used, because it is capable of supplying fresh air at suitable temperature to invalids "or those incapable of going outside, and the mask is constructed so as to permit the user to freely move about in bed without disturbing the operation thereof. p

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p 1. A respiratory'apparatus, comprising an air supply pipe in communication with the outer air and an air supply chamber, means.

for filtering the admitted air, a shell formed of thin material, sensitive to the effects of heat and cold, and inclosing a chamber for supplying air, said chamber having inlet and outlet passages, means for withdrawing airfrom the air supply chamber, and a face mask provided with a discharge valve, substantially'as described.

2. A respiratory apparatus, comprising an air supply pipe in communication with the outer air and an air supply chamber, said air supply pipe being provided with means for filtering the flowing air, a shell formed of shell formed -0 thin material, sensitive to the eifects of heat and cold, and inclosin a chamber for supplying air, said cham er having inlet and outlet passages, a valve closing the outlet passage in the air supply chamber, an air conducting tube in communication with the outlet passage of the air supply chamber,

and a face mask provided with a discharge valve, substantially as described.

3. A respiratory apparatus, comprising an air supply pipe in communication with the outer an and an air supply chamber, means for filtering the admitted air, a shell formed of thin material, sensitive to the efle'cts of .let passage, and a face mask provided with a discharge valve, an air tight cushion, and straps for securing the same upon a persons face, substantially-as described.

4. A respiratory apparatus, comprising an air supply pipe in communication with the outer air and an "'air supply chamber, air tight means for-positioning the outer end ofthe air supply ipe-outside of a window, a

f thin material, sensitive to the effects of heat and cold, and inclosing a chamber for supplying air, said chamber having inlet and outlet passages, means for v filtering the admitted air, means for withdrawing air from the airsupply chamber, and a face mask provided with a discharge valve. substantially as described.

5. .In a, respiratory apparatus, a, shell 4 formed of thin material, sensitive to the effects of heat and cold, and inclosin a cham her for supplying air, substantial y as described.

EDWIN EZERKLE.

Witnesses:

DAVID O. DUNBAR, W. G. REEDER. 

